USPTO Patents Application 09701705

Application No. 09/701,705

Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS

This listing of claims replaces all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:
Listing of Claims:

Claim 1. (Currently Amended) A channel estimation device comprising:
weighting factor generating means for generating weighting factors for weighting and

averaging pilot symbols, which are time multiplexed at positions leaning in time to one side in

respective slots of a control channel, which is parallel multiplexed with a data channel; and

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot

symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols

of said data channel,

wherein said weighting factors are determined according to said leaning leading positions
of said pilot symbols in slots of said control channel.

Claim 2. (Original) The channel estimation device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said weighting factor generating means generates weighting factors to be used for
weighting and averaging mean values of the pilot symbols in a plurality of slots of said control
channel, and said channel estimation value calculating means weights and averages the mean
values of said pilot symbols using said weighting factors and calculates the channel estimation
value of the data symbols of said data channel.

Claim 3. (Cancelled).

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Amendment "E" dated March 1 6, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

Claim 4. (Currently Amended) A channel estimation device comprising:
weighting factor generating means for generating weighting factors for weighting and

averaging pilot symbols, which are time multiplexed with a control channel, which is parallel

multiplexed with a data channel; and

chaimel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot

symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols

of said data channel,

wherein said weighting factor generating means divides data symbols in a slot of said
data channel into a plurality of data symbol sections, selects pilot symbols appropriate for
calculating the channel estimation value of the data symbols in each of the data symbol sections,
and generates the weighting factors which are [[to be]] used for weighting and averaging the
pilot symbols and which vary from data symbol section to data symbol section in a slot; and said
channel estimation value calculating means takes weighted average of said pilot symbols using
said weighting factors and calculates the channel estimation value of the data symbols of each of
the data symbol sections.

Claim 5. (Previously Presented) A channel estimation device comprising:
weighting factor generating means for generating weighting factors for weighting and

averaging pilot symbols, which are time multiplexed with a control channel, which is parallel

multiplexed with a data chaimel; and

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Application No. 09/701,705

Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 1 6, 2007

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols
of said data channel,

wherein said weighting factor generating means divides the data symbols in the slots of
said data channel into a plurality of data symbol sections, selects the pilot symbols appropriate
for calculating the channel estimation value of the data symbols in each of the data symbol
sections, and generates the weighting factors to be used for weighting and averaging the pilot
sjmibols; and said channel estimation value calculating means takes weighted average of said
pilot symbols using said weighting factors and calculates the channel estimation value of the data
symbols of each of the data symbol sections,

wherein in order to calculate the channel estimation value of the data symbols of the last
data symbol section of the i-th (i: integer) slot and to calculate the channel estimation value of
the data symbols of the first data symbol section of the (i+l)-th slot, said weighting factor
generating means selects the same pilot symbol and generates the weighting factors to be used
for weighting and averaging the pilot symbols.

Claim 6. (Previously Presented) A chaimel estimation device comprising:
weighting factor generating means for generating weighting factors for weighting and

averaging pilot symbols, which are time multiplexed with a control channel, which is parallel

multiplexed with a data channel; and

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot

symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols

of said data channel,

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Application No. 09/701,705

Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

wherein the channel estimation device further comprises:

fading frequency decision means for deciding the fading frequency based on an
inner product value of said pilot symbols; and

factor altering means for altering the factors that are used in taking said weighted
average according to the fading frequency decided by said fading frequency decision
means.

Claim 7. (Cancelled).

Claim 8. (Currently Amended) A demodulation device comprising:
weighting factor generating means for generating weighting factors [[to be]] used for
weighting and averaging pilot symbols being time multiplexed at positions leaning in time to one
side in respective slots of a control channel that was parallel multiplexed together with a data
channel;

charmel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and for calculating a channel estimation value of data
symbols of said data chaimel; and

channel variation compensating means for compensating channel variation of said data
symbols using the channel estimation value calculated by said channel estimation value
calculating means,

wherein said weighting factors are determined according to said leaning positions of said
pilot symbols in slots of said control channel.

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Application No. 09/701,705

Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 1 6, 2007

Claims 9-17. (Cancelled).

Claim 18. (Previously Presented) A charmel estimation device for calculating
a channel estimation value of data symbols using pilot symbols in a channel in which said data
symbols and said pilot symbols are time multiplexed, said channel estimation device comprising:

weighting factor generating means for dividing data sjmibols in a slot of said channel into
a plurality of data symbol intervals, selecting pilot symbols suitable for calculation of a channel
estimation value of data symbols during each data symbol interval and generating weighting
factors which are to be used for weighting and averaging the pilot symbols and which vary from
data symbol interval to data symbol interval in a slot; and

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols
during each data symbol interval.

Claim 19. (Previously Presented) A chaimel estimation device for calculating

a channel estimation value of data symbols using pilot symbols in a channel in which said data
symbols and said pilot symbols are time multiplexed, said channel estimation device comprising:

weighting factor generating means for dividing data symbols in a slot of said channel into
a plurality of data symbol intervals, selecting pilot symbols suitable for calculation of a channel
estimation value of data symbols during each data symbol interval and generating weighting
factors for weighting and averaging said pilot symbols; and

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols
during each data symbol interval,

wherein in order to calculate the channel estimation value of the data symbols in the last
data symbol section in the i-th (i: integer) slot and to calculate the channel estimation value of
the data symbols of the first data symbol section in the (i+l)-th slot, said weighting factor
generating means selects the same pilot symbol and generates the weighting factors to be used
for weighting and averaging said pilot symbols.

Claim 20. (Previously Presented) The channel estimation device as claimed in
claim 18, wherein said weighting factor generating means generates the weighting factors to be
used for weighting and averaging mean values of the pilot symbols for each of the plurality of
slots of said channel, and said chaimel estimation value calculating means takes weighted
average of the mean values of said pilot symbols using said weighting factors and calculates the
channel estimation value of the data symbols in each of the data symbol sections.

Claim 21. (Cancelled).

Claim 22. (Previously Presented) The channel estimation device as claimed in
claim 18, further comprising:

fading frequency decision means for deciding the fading frequency based on the inner
product value of said pilot symbols; and

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

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factor altering means for altering the factors to be used for taking said weighted
averaging according to the fading frequency decided by said fading frequency decision means.

Claim 23. (Previously Presented) A demodulation device comprising:

weighting factor generating means for dividing data symbols in a slot of a channel into
which the data symbols and pilot symbols are time multiplexed into a plurality of data symbol
sections, selecting pilot sjmibols appropriate for calculating a channel estimation value of the
data symbols in each of the data symbol sections, and generating weighting factors which are to
be used for weighting and averaging said pilot symbols and which vary from data symbol section
to data symbol section in a slot;

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating the channel estimation value of the data
symbols in each of data symbol sections; and

channel variation compensating means for compensating channel variation of said data
symbols using the channel estimation value calculated by said channel estimation value
calculating means.

Claims 24-32. (Cancelled).

Claim 33. (Previously Presented) A channel estimation device that calculates a
channel estimation value of data symbols of a data channel using pilot symbols of a pilot channel
which is parallel multiplexed with said data channel, said channel estimation device comprising:

weighting factor generating means for dividing data sjmibols in said channel into a

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

plurality of data symbol intervals each of which includes a plurality of data symbols, selecting
for each data symbol interval, pilot symbols suitable for calculation of a channel estimation
value, and generating for each data symbol interval, weighting factors for weighting and
averaging said pilot symbols; and

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a chaimel estimation value of data symbols
during each data symbol interval.

Claim 34. (Original) The channel estimation device as claimed in claim 33,
wherein said weighting factor generating means generates the weighting factors to be used for
weighting and averaging mean values of the pilot symbols in each of a plurality of sections in
said pilot channel, and said channel estimation value calculating means takes weighted average
of the mean values of said pilot symbols using said weighting factors and calculates the channel
estimation value of the data symbols in each of the data symbol sections.

Claim 35. (Previously Presented) A channel estimation device that calculates a

channel estimation value of data symbols of a data channel using pilot symbols of a pilot channel
which is parallel multiplexed with said data channel, said channel estimation device comprising:

weighting factor generating means for dividing data symbols in said channel into a
plurality of data symbol intervals, selecting pilot symbols suitable for calculation of a channel
estimation value of data symbols during each data symbol interval and generating weighting
factors for weighting and averaging said pilot symbols; and

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols
during each data symbol interval,

wherein the channel estimation device further comprises:

fading frequency decision means for deciding the fading frequency based on the inner
product value of said pilot symbols; and

factor altering means for altering the factors to be used for taking said weighted average
according to the fading frequency decided by said fading frequency decision means.

Claim 36. (Previously Presented) A channel estimation method for calculating

a channel estimation value of data symbols of a data channel using pilot symbols of a pilot
channel that was parallel muhiplexed together with said data channel, comprising the steps of:

dividing the data symbols of said data channel into a plurality of data symbol sections,
selecting pilot s3TTibols appropriate for calculating the channel estimation value of the data
symbols in each of the data symbol sections, and generating weighting factors to be used for
weighting and averaging the pilot symbols; and

weighting and averaging said pilot symbols using said weighting factors and calculating
the channel estimation value of the data symbols in each of the data symbol sections,

wherein a transmission rate of said data channel differs from a transmission rate of said
pilot channel.

Claim 37. (Previously Presented) A demodulation device comprising:

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Amendment "E" dated March 1 6, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

weighting factor generating means for dividing data symbols of a data channel into a
plurality of data symbol sections each of which includes a plurality of data symbols, selecting for
each data symbol section, pilot symbols of a pilot channel that was parallel multiplexed together
with said data channel, appropriate for calculating a channel estimation value, and generating for
each data symbol section, weighting factors to be used for weighting and averaging the pilot
symbols;

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating the channel estimation value of the data
symbols of each of the data symbol sections; and

charmel variation compensating means for compensating the channel variation of said
data symbols using the channel estimation value calculated by said channel estimation value
calculating means.

Claims 38-46. (Cancelled).

Claim 47. (Previously Presented) A method for estimating a channel,
comprising the steps of

generating weighting factors to be used for weighting and averaging pilot symbols being
time multiplexed at positions leaning in time to one side in respective slots of a control channel
that was parallel muhiplexed together with a data channel; and

averaging said pilot symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel
estimation value of data symbols of said data channel.

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

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wherein said weighting factors are determined according to said leaning positions of said
pilot symbols in slots of said control channel.

Claim 48. (Cancelled).

Claim 49. (Previously Presented) A channel estimation method for calculating

a channel estimation value of data symbols using pilot symbols in a channel in which said data
symbols and pilot symbols are time multiplexed, comprising the steps of:

dividing data symbols in a slot of said channel into a plurality of data symbol sections,
selecting pilot symbols appropriate for acquiring the channel estimation value of the data
symbols in each of the data symbol sections, and generating weighting factors which are to be
used for weighting and averaging the pilot symbols and which vary from data symbol section to
data symbol section in a slot; and

weighting and averaging said pilot symbols using said weighting factors and calculating
the charmel estimation value of the data sjTnbols in each of the data symbol sections.

Claims 50-52. (Cancelled).

Claim 53. (Original) A demodulation device comprising:

channel estimating means for deriving N (N is natural number greater than or equal to
two) in number of channel estimation values by weighted averaging of pilot signals in time using
N in number of weighted sequences;

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compensating means for compensating data sequences using said respective channel
estimation values;

RAKE combining means for RAKE combining respective of said N data sequences after
compensation; and

reliability judgment means for selecting one data sequence having highest reliability from
said N data sequences after RAKE combination.

Claim 54. (Original) A demodulation device comprising:

chaimel estimating means for deriving N (N is natural number greater than or equal to
two) in number of channel estimation values by weighted averaging of pilot signal in time using
N in number of weighted sequences for data sequences of predetermined frame number;

compensating means for compensating data sequence using said respective channel
estimation values;

RAKE combining means for RAKE combining of said N data sequences after
compensation; and

reliability judgment means for selecting N' (N': natural number, N' < N) in number of
weighting sequences from said N data sequence after RAKE combining and selecting one data
sequence having the highest reliability from N data sequences,

selection of said N' weighting sequences being performed per a predetermined period, for
remaining data sequences until performing said reliability judgment again said chaimel
estimation means deriving N' channel estimation value by weighted averaging in time using N'
weighting sequences, said compensating means compensating data sequences using N' channel
estimation values, said RAKE combining means RAKE combining respective of N' data

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sequences after compensation, and said reliability judgment means selecting one data sequence
having the highest reliability from said N' data sequences.

Claim 55. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in

claim 53 or 54, wherein said rehability judging means for judging reUability of said data
sequence comprises:

error-correction decoding means for performing error-correction decoding of the
data sequence after said RAKE combination;

CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) bit extracting means for extracting CRC bits
added to said data sequence;

CRC decoding means for decoding the CRC for said data sequence;

frame error detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame error
based on a decoding result of said CRC;

number-of-frame-error counting means for counting said number of the frame
errors in a previously-determined measuring time; and

weight sequence and data selecting means for selecting the weight sequence
having high reliability and the data sequence that is demodulated using the weight
sequence so selected based on said counting result of the frame errors.

Claim 56. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in
claim 53 or 54, wherein said reliability judging means forjudging reliability of the data sequence
comprises:

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error-correction decoding means for performing error-correction decoding of the
data sequence after said RAKE combination;

likelihood information extracting means for extracting likelihood information that
is calculated when performing the error-correction decoding of each of the data
sequences;

likelihood averaging means for averaging said extracted likelihood information
for a previously-determined measuring time; and

weight sequence and data selecting means for selecting the weight sequence
having high reliability and the data sequence that is demodulated using the weight
sequence so selected based on said averaged likelihood information.

Claim 57. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in
claim 53 or 54, wherein said reliability judging means forjudging reliability of the data sequence
comprises:

electric power calculating means for calculating electric power of each of the data
sequences after said RAKE combination;

electric power averaging means for averaging said calculation result of the
electric power for a previously-determined measuring time; and

weight sequence and data selecting means for selecting the weight sequence
having high reliability and data sequence that is demodulated using the weight sequence
so selected based on said averaged electric power.

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

Claim 58. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in
claim 53 or 54,

wherein said reliability judging means for judging reliability of the data sequence
comprises:

signal-to-noise ratio(ratio of a signal power to a noise power) calculating means
for calculating a signal-to-noise ratio of each of the data sequences after said RAKE
combination;

signal-to-noise ratio averaging means for averaging the calculation result of said
signal-to-noise ratio for a previously-determined measuring time; and

weight sequence and data selecting means for selecting the weight sequence
having high reliability and the data sequence that is demodulated using the weight
sequence so selected based on said averaged signal-to-noise ratio.

Claim 59. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in
claim 53 or 54, wherein said rehability judging means forjudging reliability of the data sequence
comprises:

error-correction decoding means for performing error-correction decoding of the
data sequence after said RAICE combination;

CRC bit extracting means for extracting CRC bits added to said data sequence;

CRC decoding means for decoding the CRC for said data sequence;

frame error detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame error
based on a decoding result of said CRC;

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number-of-frame-error counting means for counting the number of said frame
errors in a previously-determined measuring time;

likelihood information extracting means for extracting likelihood information that
is calculated when performing error-correction decoding of each of the data sequences;

likelihood averaging means for averaging said extracted likelihood information
for a previously-determined measuring time; and

weight sequence and data selecting means for selecting the weight sequence
having high reliability and the data sequence that is demodulated using the weight
sequence so selected based on said counted number of frame errors of the plurality of
data sequences and said averaged likelihood information.

Claim 60. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in
claim 53 or 54, wherein said rehability judging means forjudging rehability of the data sequence
comprises:

error-correction decoding means for performing error-correction decoding of the
data sequence after said RAKE combination;

CRC bit extracting means for extracting CRC bits added to said data sequence;

CRC decoding means for decoding the CRC for said data sequence;

frame error detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame error
based on a decoding result of said CRC;

number-of-frame-error counting means for counting said number of the frame
errors in a previously-determined measuring time;

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electric power calculating means for calculating electric power of each of the data
sequences after said RAKE combination;

electric power averaging means for averaging said calculation result of the
electric power for a previously-determined measuring time; and

weight sequence and data selecting means for selecting the weight sequence
having high reliability and the data sequence that is demodulated using the weight
sequence so selected based on said number of frame errors and said averaged electric
power.

Claim 61. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in
claim 53 or 54, wherein said reliability judging means forjudging reliability of the data sequence
comprises:

error-correction decoding means for performing error-correction decoding of the
data sequence after said RAKE combination;

CRC bit extracting means for extracting CRC bits added to said data sequence;

CRC decoding means for decoding the CRC for said data sequence;

fi-ame error detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame error
based on a decoding result of said CRC;

number-of-frame-error counting means for counting said number of the frame
errors in a previously-determined measuring time;

signal-to-noise ratio calculating means for calculating a signal-to-noise ratio (ratio
of a signal power to a noise power) of each of the data sequences after said RAKE
combination;

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

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signal-to-noise ratio averaging means for averaging the calculation result of said
signal-to-noise ratio for a previously-determined measuring time; and

weight sequence and data selecting means for selecting weight sequence having
high reliability and the data sequence that is demodulated using the weight sequence so
selected based on said number of frame errors and said averaged signal-to-noise ratio.

Claim 62. (Original) A demodulation device comprising:

channel estimating means for weighted averaging of reception pilot signal using a
plurality of weighting sequences and deriving a plurality of channel estimation values;

demodulating means for inputting data sequences and outputting a plurality of
demodulated data sequences using said plurality of channel estimation values; and

reliability judging means for selecting one demodulated data by making judgment of
reliability of said plurality of demodulated data sequences.

Claim 63. (Original) The demodulation device as claimed in claim 62, wherein
said reliability judging means comprises selecting means for selecting predetermined

number of the weight sequences from among said plurality of weight sequences based on a

judgment result of reliability of said plurality of demodulated data sequences, and

said demodulating means performs the demodulation using only said predetermined

number of the weight sequences, when said predetermined number of the weight sequences were

selected.

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Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 1 6, 2007

Claim 64. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in any
one of claims 53, 54 or 62, wherein said pilot signals are time multiplexed in a control channel
that was parallel multiplexed together with a data channel in which said data sequence is
contained.

Claim 65. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in any
one of claims 53, 54 or 62, wherein said pilot signals are time multiplexed in one channel
together with said data sequence.

Claim 66. (Original) The demodulation device as described in claim 65, wherein
said channel estimating means divides the data sequence in the slots of said channel into a
plurality of data sequence sections, selects pilot signals appropriate for calculating the channel
estimation value of the data in each of the data sequence sections, and calculates the channel
estimation value of the data of each of the data sequence sections by weighting and averaging the
selected pilot signals.

Claim 67. (Previously Presented) The demodulation device as claimed in any
one of claims 53, 54 or 62, wherein said pilot signals are contained in a pilot channel that was
parallel multiplexed together with the data channel containing said data sequence.

Claim 68. (Original) The demodulation device as claimed in claim 67, wherein
said channel estimating means divides said data sequence into a plurality of data sequence
sections, selects pilot signals appropriate for calculating the channel estimation value of the data

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in each of the data sequence sections, and calculates the channel estimation value of the data in
each of the data sequence sections by weighting and averaging the selected pilot signals.

Claim 69. (Currently Amended) A demodulation method comprising:

the step of obtaining N pieces of channel estimation values by time-weighting and

averaging [[the]] pilot signals using N (N: natural number greater than or equal to 2) sets of

weight sequences;

the step of compensating data sequence using each of said channel estimation values;
the step of RAKE combining each of the N sets of the data sequences after said
compensation; and

the reliability judgment step of selecting one set of the data sequences having the highest
reliability from among the N sets of the data sequences after said RAKE combination.

Claim 70. (Original) A demodulation method comprising:

the step of obtaining N (N: natural number greater than or equal to 2) pieces of channel
estimation values by time-weighting and averaging pilot signals using N sets of weight
sequences with respect to a previously-determined number of frames of data sequence;

the step of compensating the data sequence using each of said channel estimation values;

the step of RAKE combining each of N sets of the data sequences after said
compensation; and

the reliability judgment step of selecting N' (N': natural number; N'<N) sets of the
weight sequences having high reliability from among said N sets of the data sequences after said

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RAKE combination and selecting one set of data sequence having the highest rehabiUty from
among the N sets of the data sequences after said RAKE combination,

wherein the selection of said N' sets of the weight sequences is conducted at regular
intervals, and throughout a period up to a time when said judgment of reliability is made next
time, with respect to remaining part of the data sequence, in said step of estimating the channel,
N' pieces of the channel estimation values are obtained by time- weighting and averaging the data
sequence using the N' sets of the weight sequences; in said step of compensating, the data
sequence is compensated using the N' pieces of the channel estimation values; in said step of the
RAKE combination, each of the N' sets of the data sequences after the compensation is RAKE
combined; and in said reliability judgment step, one set of the data sequence having the highest
reliability is selected from among the N' sets of the data sequences.

Claim 71. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 69 or 70,
wherein said reliability judgment step comprises the steps of

error-correction decoding the data sequence after said RAKE combination;
extracting CRC bits added to said data sequence;
decoding the CRC with respect to said data sequence;

detecting the presence or absence of a fi-ame error based on said demodulation result of
the CRC;

counting the number of said fi-ame errors in a previously-determined measuring time; and
selecting the weight sequence having high reliability and the data sequence that is

demodulated using the weight sequence so selected based on said counting resuh of the frame

errors.

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Claim 72. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 69 or 70,
wherein said reliability judgment step comprises the steps of:

error-correction decoding the data sequence after said RAKE combination;

extracting likelihood information calculated when performing error-correction decoding
of each of the data sequence;

averaging said extracted likelihood information for a previously-determined measuring
time; and

selecting the weight sequence having high reliability and the data sequence that is
demodulated using the weight sequence so selected based on said averaged likelihood
information.

Claim 73. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 69 or 70,
wherein said reliability judgment step comprises the steps of:

calculating electric power of each of the data sequences after said RAKE combination;

averaging the calculation result of said electric power for a previously-determined
measuring time; and

selecting the weight sequence having high reliability and the data sequence that is
demodulated using the weight sequence so selected based on said averaged electric power.

Claim 74. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 69 or 70,
wherein said reliability judgment step comprises the steps of:

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calculating a signal-to-noise ratio of each of the data sequences after said RAKE
combination;

averaging the calculation resuh of said signal-to-noise ratios for a previously-determined
measuring time; and

selecting the weight sequence having high reliability and the data sequence that is
demodulated using the weight sequence so selected based on said averaged signal-to-noise ratio.

Claim 75. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 69 or 70,
wherein said reliability judgment step comprises the steps of:

performing error-correction decoding of the data sequences after said RAKE
combination;

extracting CRC bits added to said data sequence;

decoding the CRC with respect to said data sequence;

detecting the presence or absence of a frame error based on said decoding result of the

CRC;

counting said number of the frame errors in a previously-determined measuring time;

extracting likelihood information that is calculated when performing error-correction d
decoding of each of the data sequences;

averaging said extracted likelihood information for a previously-determined measuring
time; and

selecting the weight sequence having high reliability and the data sequence that is
demodulated using the weight sequence so selected based on said measured number of the frame
errors of the plurality of the data sequences and said averaged likelihood information.

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Claim 76. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in either of claim 69
or 70, wherein said reliability judgment step comprises the steps of:

error-correction decoding said data sequences after said RAKE combination;
extracting CRC bits added to said data sequence;
decoding the CRC with respect to said data sequence;

detecting the presence or absence of a frame error based on the decoding result of said

CRC;

counting the number of said frame errors in a previously-determined measuring time;
calculating electric power of each of received data sequences after said RAKE
combination;

averaging the calculation result of said electric power for a previously-determined
measuring time; and

selecting the weight sequence having high reliability and the data sequence that is
demodulated using the weight sequence so selected based on said number of frame errors and
said averaged electric power.

Claim 77. (Original) The demodulation method of as claimed in claim 69 or 70,
wherein said reliability judgment step comprises the steps of:

error-correction decoding said data sequences after said RAKE combination;
extracting CRC bits added to said data sequence;
decoding the CRC with respect to said data sequence;

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Application No. 09/701,705

Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

detecting the presence or absence of a frame error based on the decoding result of said

CRC;

counting the number of said frame errors in a previously-determined measuring time;
calculating a signal-to-noise ratio of each of the data sequences after said RAKE
combination;

averaging calculation result of said signal-to-noise ratios for a previously-determined
measuring time; and

selecting the weight sequence having a high reliability and the data sequence that is
demodulated with the weight sequence so selected based on the number of said frame errors and
said averaged signal-to-noise ratio.

Claim 78. (Original) A demodulation method comprising the steps of:

weighting and averaging pilot signals using a plurality of weight sequences to obtain a
plurality of channel estimation values;

deriving a plurality of demodulated data sequences from a data sequence using said
plurality of channel estimation values; and

selecting one output data sequence by making judgment of reliability of said plurality of
demodulated data.

Claim 79. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 78, wherein,
based on the judgment result of reliability of said plurality of demodulated data sequences, a
predetermined number of weight sequences are selected from among said plurality of weight

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Application No. 09/701,705

Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

sequences, and after the selection, demodulation through the use of only the selected weight
sequences is performed.

Claim 80. (Currently Amended) The demodulation method as claimed in any one of
claims 69, 70 or 78, wherein said pilot signals are time multiplexed into a control channel that is
parallel multiplexed together with a [[the]] data channel in which said data sequence is
contained.

Claim 81. (Previously Presented) The demodulation method as claimed in any
one of claims 69, 70 or 78, wherein said pilot signals are time multiplexed into one channel
together with said data sequence.

Claim 82. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 81, wherein
said step of estimating a channel divides said data sequence in the slots of said channel into a
plurality of data sequence sections, selects pilot signals appropriate for calculating the channel
estimation value of the data of each of the data sequence sections, and calculates a channel
estimation value of the data of each of the data sequence sections by weighting and averaging the
selected pilot signals.

Claim 83. (Currently Amended) The demodulation method as claimed in any one of
claims 69, 70 or 78, wherein said pilot signals are contained in a pilot channel that was parallel
multiplexed together with a [[the]] data channel containing said data sequence.

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Application No. 09/701,705

Amendment "E" dated March 16, 2007

Reply to Office Action mailed January 16, 2007

Claim 84. (Original) The demodulation method as claimed in claim 83, wherein
said step of estimating a channel divides said data sequence into a plurality of data sequence
sections, selects pilot signals appropriate for calculating the charmel estimation value of the data
in each of the data sequence sections, and calculates the channel estimation value of the data of
each of the data sequence sections by weighting and averaging the selected pilot signals.

Claim 85. (Previously Presented) A channel estimation device for calculating

a channel estimation value of data symbols using pilot symbols in a channel in which said data
symbols and said pilot symbols are time multiplexed, said channel estimation device comprising:

weighting factor generating means for dividing data symbols in a slot of said channel into
a plurality of data symbol intervals, selecting pilot symbols suitable for calculation of a chaimel
estimation value of data symbols during each data symbol interval and generating weighting
factors for weighting and averaging said pilot symbols; and

channel estimation value calculating means for weighting and averaging said pilot
symbols using said weighting factors and calculating a channel estimation value of data symbols
during each data sjonbol interval,

wherein said pilot symbols are time multiplexed at positions leaning in time to one side in
respective slots of said channel, and

said weighting factors are determined according to said leaning positions of said pilot
symbols in slots of said chaimel.

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